February is the month of Valentine’s Day, but much more importantly, it is also heart awareness month. It is time to bring real awareness that heart disease is still the number one cause of death for both men and women in the US, killing more people than all cancers combined. For example, 1 in 8 women will die of breast cancer, but 1 in 3 women will die of heart disease. (CDC) This is extremely distressing, as heart disease has been clinically shown to be preventable, arrestable, and even reversible. (Ornish, Lancet, 1990). I urge you to become aware of the seriousness of this illness, and to take real action. Here are 6 tips to help you begin your journey to long-lasting, great heart health: (IMPORTANT: If you are on medications and/or currently have heart disease, please check with your health-care provider before making any aggressive lifestyle changes).
1. Switch to a plant-based diet – Focus on eating to nourish your body with nutrient-rich, phytoenzyme-filled, anti-oxidant-bursting, high-fiber , healing , plant foods. Switch to real oatmeal with raisins, cinnamon, fresh fruit for breakfast with a splash of almond milk and/or a green smoothie. For lunch, try a big green salad with colorful veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, and beans. Serve it with a wholesome vegetable soup. Enjoy a quick spicy-2 bean chili, or whole grain pasta with a salad for dinner, and finish it with a frozen fruit whip. The less pro-inflammatory foods you eat, including animal meat, dairy, processed foods/refined foods/food additives, or oils, the more room you have for anti-inflammatory foods. Find someone to help you if you need support, keep a journal, try new recipes, take some plant-based cooking classes, order pre-packaged food kits, whatever it takes! Start today, with the goal to be healthier tomorrow! See my website for many of these easy starter recipe ideas: eatandlivehealthfully.com/recipes
2. Know your risk factors – If you have family history of heart disease, siblings, or a personal history yourself, this can elevate your risk. It is even more important to begin making the lifestyle changes, as you can prevent, and even reverse disease that may be present. Also, it’s helpful to know your numbers, as in your blood pressure, heart rate, waist and hip circumferences, lipid panel, inflammatory markers. With any abnormalities or increased risk factors, getting advanced cardiac labs and CIMT ultrasound (ultrasound of the carotid artery looking at the endothelium thickness) can be extremely helpful and even life-saving.
3. Get to the root cause – If you have any inflammation in your body, this will put you at risk for cardiovascular disease. This includes diabetes, autoimmune diseases, asthma, allergies, etc. It even means having regular dental checkups, as periodontal disease can contribute to whole-body inflammation and heart disease. Again, a plant-based diet and lifestyle modifications can help control and reverse many of these chronic conditions, thereby reducing cardiovascular disease. Plaque can literally melt away, when the proper healing environment is created.
4. Move your body – This means get up and get going. Walk. Dance. Bike. Do some pushups. It doesn’t mean you have to sign up for a gym membership, or buy fancy new spandex. Start with 10 minutes 3 times a day if you don’t have more time at once. Park farther, or better yet, walk or take a bike. Stand up during commercials and do some jumping jacks or situps. Stand and pace when you’re on the phone, and invest in a standing desk, if you have to sit all day. If you can do high intensity activity – do it! You need less time and you’ll get better results. (check with your physician first). The current recommendation is 150 minutes per week or 22 minutes per day. Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org recommends even more for more benefits – 90 minutes of moderate exercise (like walking) or 45 minutes of high-intensity. Seems like a lot, but if you’re moving all day, it’s not much at all. I say, do what you can, but be sure to move every day!
5. Breathe deeply and relax – Every day. What do you do to actively relax? (TV doesn’t count). Try deep breathing: breathe in for the count of 5, and out for the count of 5 – do this at least twice a day for 5 rounds. Learn to meditate, try some yoga, journal, have gratitude, get outdoors and be mindful. Take some time to unplug and unwind. We have to re-boot our computers, why don’t we do the same for ourselves? Don’t just wait for vacation. Every day, re-boot.
6. Sleep – It’s been shown that people who sleep less than 6 hours per night have increased risk of heart disease (AHA, 2011). Sleep is essential for repairing at a cellular level, normalizing hormone levels, strengthening memories, restoring emotional balance, among many other benefits. Work on sleep hygiene if you are not sleeping well, and make it a priority in your life. The goal is 7-9 hours of restorative sleep per night for most people. A restful sleep can be yours with a little effort.
Finally, start today, with any changes you can. This is the perfect time to make your health a priority and save your heart. Happy, Healthy Heart Month!